


Gallifrey Rises: Episode One: The Fall of Arcadia

by RyanWritesStuff



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (2005), Doctor Who (Big Finish Audio)
Genre: Action, Drama, Gen, Screenplay/Script Format, Time War (Doctor Who), War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-15 19:36:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29688924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RyanWritesStuff/pseuds/RyanWritesStuff
Summary: The first episode (in script format) of the planned six-episode Gallifrey Rises Time War series. Is this an alternate Whoniverse again? It definitely is! But you can't tell from this! Do I want badly to make this? Desperately! Please enjoy!
Comments: 2
Kudos: 1





	Gallifrey Rises: Episode One: The Fall of Arcadia

** SCENE ONE  
**

**_\- INT: The Capitol, Gallifrey. The Final Day of the Last Great Time War._ **

_SFX: The scene is set by an abundance of quietly murmuring voices._

_SFX: We hear a touch of static; a communication device powering up._

**Time Lord 1:** ( _hesitant_ ) We have contact with the General, Lord President.

**Rassilon:** Proceed.

_SFX: The communicator buzzes into life._

**The General:** ( _in greeting_ ) Lord President Rassilon.

**Rassilon:** _(businesslike and efficient, but obviously intimidated by the situation. Not outright scared, of course, but aware of the gravity of things)_ Report, General.

**The General:** _(voice distorted mildly, as if by static)_ My lord President, I…I won’t lie, the situation is growing worse by the minute. Arcadia is holding on by the slimmest of threads but the Daleks are throwing everything they have at us and _more_. This state will not last…and, once Arcadia has fallen, the Capitol is right in their line of fire.

**Rassilon:** _(remains silent)_ …

**The General:** Lord President?

**Rassilon:** _(suddenly, snapping at him)_ What of our reinforcements?

**The General:** There will be no help coming, my Lord. There are too few of our forces left to do that.

**Rassilon:** …I see. _(efficient again)_ Continue the fight, General. Do not give the Daleks an inch.

**The General:** _(grimly resigned)_ Of course, sir. There will be no retreat.

**Rassilon:** _(bitterly and quietly, speaking to himself)_ There’s nowhere left to retreat to.

_SFX: The beeping noise of a call being terminated, along with much murmuring and whispering, clearly from a large crowd._

**Rassilon:** _(roaring)_ Silence!

_SFX: The room does so almost immediately._

**Rassilon:** …You all heard that. Our predicament is more dire than ever before. Though none of us wish to say it, I cannot allow us to delude ourselves any longer. If things continue down their current path, Gallifrey will not survive the night.

_SFX: The murmuring starts again, more noticeably worried now._

**Time Lord 1:** That…cannot be-

**Rassilon:** Everyone in this room knows it to be truth, Councillor. This will be the day that takes us all, mark my words.

**Time Lord 2:** _(panicking)_ There-there must be some help from other quarters…the Omega Arsenal!

**Rassilon:** _(matter-of-factly)_ Depleted entirely.

**Time Lord 1:** Any of our operatives! The Master-

**Rassilon:** _(darkly)_ The _Master_ remains in hiding, elusive to our eyes. _(spits on the ground)_ Coward and traitor to the end.

**Time Lord 2:** The Rani! If she were to-

**Rassilon:** The Rani hasn’t been seen since Shada fell, Councillor. If she’s anywhere, she’s either rotting away already or deep in hiding, far too deep for us to contact now.

**Time Lord 3:** _(increasingly desperately)_ What of Morbius? Surely he could-

**Rassilon:** Morbius…has not returned from his last dispatch. We must assume the worst. As traitorous as the Master and more villainous to boot. We should never have used him.

_SFX: There is a long, long pause, interrupted only by the most timid of whispers._

**Malia:** My lord, what…what of the renegade? The Daleks are _terrified_ of him, he would…

**Rassilon:** … _(sighs audibly)_ The Doctor will not help us. Things have worsened since his _(strained emphasis) incident_ with the Tear of Isha and Borusa. He has turned completely on the Time Lords and Gallifrey alike…the worst form of traitor.

**Malia:** Lord President?

**Rassilon:** _(sighs once more)_ Look upon Gallifrey’s wayward son now.

_SFX: There is a flicker of computerised activity, evidently the displaying of a hologram._

**Malia:** That’s…that’s the Omega Arsenal.

**Rassilon:** Indeed.

**Time Lord 2:** I thought you said it had been emptied?

**Rassilon:** It _had_. Save for one, of course, the one we could never so much as touch. _(Rassilon pauses for a long moment)_ _Some_ do not follow those rules. The Doctor has taken possession of the Moment.

_SFX: There is a general echoed noise of terror._

**Rassilon:** For what purpose, we cannot know, but we do know that he has fled with our last and most terrible weapon. He has betrayed us.

_SFX: Several cries of outrage and fear go up around the room._

**Rassilon:** Enough! One traitor to our cause is nothing to concern us, Moment or not! Soon, inevitably, the Capitol itself will fall under siege, and after that we will only have a matter of hours left to live. …I have planned for such an occasion…and those plans are almost complete. _(with a great air of finality)_ Gallifrey _will_ be saved, I will see it done to the expenditure of all else if need be.

**Malia:** …My lord, is this about-

**Rassilon:** No measure is too great, Councillor. These are our darkest times, and we must face them standing tall.

**Malia:** But, my lord President, somebody must be able to-

**Rassilon:** (simply and plainly) No. Nobody is left. Gallifrey cannot rest on anyone’s shoulders but my own, now…just as it should be. There are no heroes, no saviours in times like these.

[Opening Credits]

**  
SCENE TWO  
**

**_\- EXT: The Streets of Arcadia, Gallifrey. The Final Day of the Last Great Time War._ **

****

_SFX: Instantly, the atmosphere is entirely changed. From the quiet of the Capitol we are hurled into a veritable hellscape of sounds. Explosions and laser fire are only interrupted by the sound of agonised screaming and barked orders; sometimes in the panicked and beleaguered tone of a Gallifreyan or Time Lord, primarily in the harsh, metallic tones of a Dalek. These are the streets of Arcadia, and they have become a living nightmare._

_Music: The Dark and Endless Dalek Night._

**Korvas:** ( _panicking and yelling_ ) Fall back, everyone, fall back! Sky Trenches 343 to 356 have gone down! Hurry!

**Dalek:** Press forward! Allow no escape! Seek and Destroy! **Seek and Destroy!**

_SFX: The Dalek’s screech is taken up by dozens of others as they advance, the sounds of Dalek gunstick fire increasing dramatically in both volume and volume, so to speak._

**Stirlex:** Korvas, Dalek squadron incoming from the air!

**Korvas:** Everybody get behind something, hurry!

_SFX: There is a sound of something whooshing through the air as the Daleks approach. Suddenly, they are cut off by a sudden, much louder blast of laser fire. This is immediately followed by a loud explosion and several Dalek screeches._

**Ferrain:** ( _out of breath, having evidently sprinted to their position_ ) One less Dalek squadron to worry about, men!

**Korvas:** ( _evidently rather ecstatic_ ) Commander Ferrain, you’re safe! Quickly, sir, we need to retreat, another considerable Dalek force is coming-

**Ferrain:** ( _grimly_ ) _…_ I’m not safe and nor is anyone else in particular. We’ve been ordered not to fall back, not yet.

**Korvas:** ( _disbelieving_ ) … _What_?

**Stirlex:** But…but sir, Arcadia is going to be overrun any moment!

**Ferrain:** I know, Stirlex, I know, believe me. I don’t want to be here any more than you do, but they’re orders directly from the general, we’re to stand until further orders come in.

**Korvas:** ( _scared_ ) And…the Daleks? How many Daleks left, sir?

**Ferrain:** I honestly couldn’t tell you, Korvas. Last updated intelligence from the Capitol’s scout TARDISes put over eight million of them within immediate flying distance of Arcadia alone, and they’re already dealing with at least half of that in the sky trenches.

**Stirlex:** …Eight million Daleks.

**Korvas:** …That’s _far_ too many. We can’t last against that!

**Ferrain:** ( _reluctantly_ ) I agree with you, but the Time Lords have ordered it nonetheless. We are to buy them time to plot and scheme, that’s evidently our lot today. No matter how we feel, our orders are to be followed. ( _more conversationally_ ) How many did you manage to evacuate before they came?

**Stirlex:** Oh, er, _most_ of the city escaped to the Capitol, sir, but-

**Ferrain:** ( _cutting him off instantly_ ) _But_ nothing. That’s something to be proud of, commend yourselves for that. Every Gallifreyan life saved today is one more that the Daleks haven’t taken from us, and that’s no small thing. It’s all we have to hold on to now.

**Soldiers:** ( _muttering_ ) Yes, sir.

**Dalek:** Enemies detected! Seek and destroy! Seek and destroy!

**Ferrain:** ( _beat_ ) Yet more Daleks inbound…we should move quickly. We’ll head back to the command centre, we can regroup there. Better chance of holding them there than in the blasted streets.

**Soldiers:** Sir!

_SFX: The sounds of battle continue to ring out as boots hurry through the streets._

**Ferrain:** Hold on a moment, somebody’s over there…soldier?

_SFX: A laser blast impacts the ground nearby._

**Ferrain:** ( _yelling_ ) _Soldier!_ We’re friendlies, hold your fire!

_SFX: Another laser blast._

**Ferrain:** ( _roars_ ) **_Soldier!_**

_There is a long pause._

**Tyras:** ( _incredibly_ _relieved_ ) Oh, commander Ferrain, sir! By the Founders, I’m so sorry, I almost shot you!

**Stirlex:** ( _annoyed_ ) You madman! You idiotic madman! You couldn’t have gathered we were Gallifreyan based on the voices? Based on our outlines? I don’t know, the fact that we don’t _look like **Daleks**?!_

**Ferrain:** Stirlex…

**Stirlex:** You’re a bloody idiot, Tyras, always have been! A child with a gun, you’re not a soldier!

**Tyras:** ( _quietly_ ) Reports came in from a few of the defence teams still active a while ago. The Daleks have been implanting the dead Gallifreyans with their drone tech…forcing them to lure out survivors so they can gun them down. The drones don’t even know what they’re doing until the eyestalks come out of their heads…you can never be sure. Family members, lovers, children, even pets…everything’s being used.

_Another long pause._

**Stirlex:** I…Tyras, I’m sorry ( _and he sounds very genuine_ ).

**Tyras:** Right.

**Ferrain:** ( _sternly_ ) Calm down, soldiers, keep a cool head. This war has done things to us all, but let’s not make enemies out of each other. The Daleks have done that perfectly well enough, by the sound of things. Tyras, you need rest, and urgently at that. Come on, we’ll keep pulling back to the command centre.

**Tyras:** ( _sounding exhausted_ ) Thank you, sir. ( _questioning_ ) …Commander? I…I’ve heard reports filtering down from the last couple of higher-ups I saw…haven’t the High Council ordered us not to retreat?

**Ferrain:** They have indeed. However, we’re not retreating the way I see it, we’re…just relocating, that’s all. How have things been here, by the way?

**Tyran:** There’s no Daleks left in this area anyway, sir, they’ve been dealt with.

**Ferrain:** …Soldier, that weapon you’re using.

**Tyras:** Yes, sir?

**Ferrain:** It looks like a Dalek weapon.

**Tyras:** Oh, it is, sir. Just…repurposed from one of the broken ones over there. It’s a disgusting thing but beggars can’t be choosers.

**Ferrain:** Where’s your own?

**Tyras:** It was…requisitioned, sir. If you’ll look at the wall there…

_There is a short pause._

**Ferrain:** …‘No more’. What’s the meaning of this?

**Tyras:** A message, commander. Left by the Doctor.

**Ferrain:** ( _suddenly, even excitedly_ ) The Doctor was here? In Arcadia, he was _here_?!

**Tyras:** Not more than an hour ago, sir, aye. Borrowed my gun…left that message with it, rammed his TARDIS straight through a group of Daleks and then vanished.

**Korvas:** The Doctor! ( _relieved_ ) If he’s here, then-

**Ferrain:** ( _cuts_ _him_ _off_ ) Don’t rest too easy, friends. ( _noticeably relieved himself_ ) But that bodes well, I must admit. All we have to do is fight all the harder because of it, and there might just be something left in today!

**Soldiers:** ( _shouting_ ) Sir!

**Ferrain:** Anyway, on to the command centre. We can gather any stragglers we find along the way. If we play our cards right and the sky trenches above it are holding out, then the Daleks will have a hard time taking it from us.

_SFX: The sound of several boots hurriedly stamping on the ground._

** SCENE THREE  
**

**_\- INT: The Capitol, Gallifrey. The Final Day of the Last Great Time War._ **

****

_SFX: We fade back in to comparative quiet. There are countless mumbling voices, invariably low and quiet, interrupted only by an occasional ominous rumble in the very rock of Gallifrey itself as the engines of war drive closer._

**Malia:** Excuse me, I must get through here…excuse me, _please_.

**Pyrrhus:** Ma’am, I’m sorry but this is currently a travel-restricted…( _surprised_ ) oh, my apologies, Councillor Malia. ( _intrigued_ )What’s your business here?

**Malia:** I genuinely hate to be rude, but it’s none of yours at this exact moment, Pyrrhus. How is the situation here?

**Pyrrhus:** ( _weary_ ) Not…not marvellous, I must be honest, ma’am. Every one of the Capitol’s halls is serving as a temporary living space for the refugees from across the planet, but space is very tight, there’s little comfort to go around.

**Malia:** Can we still accommodate more?

**Pyrrhus:** ( _disheartened_ ) I…I don’t believe there will be any more, ma’am. The last of them arrived over eight hours ago, there have been none since.

**Malia:** ( _concerned_ )…Have there been any expeditions, any rescue parties, anything?

**Pyrrhus:** Er…no, ma’am, the Council have not authorised one…although of course you knew that already, my apologies. In any case, Arcadia is the only city left that hasn’t been completely reduced to rubble as far as we know…I don’t suppose you’ve received any word from there?

**Malia:** No word but an intimation, in any case. The situation isn’t good, Pyrrhus, and it’s getting worse by the minute.

**Pyrrhus:** …I see. Is there anything I should do?

**Malia:** Continue as you were. Watch over these halls, and try and make the people as comfortable as you can.

**Pyrrhus:** Of course, lady Malia. Can I tell them to rest easy, knowing that they won’t be swarmed by hordes of Daleks any minute?

**Malia:** …Tell them what you want, it’ll make very little difference at this stage. If you’ll kindly excuse me, I really must be off. Important things to worry about.

**Pyrrhus:** Ma’am.

_SFX: The hustle and bustle of the background gradually fades until there is no sound but Malia’s footsteps, and an occasional electronic beeping. As the footsteps continue, we hear the whooshing of a sliding door opening, and subsequently closing again only a moment later._

**Malia:** ( _lets out an audible sigh of relief_ ) Finally, now I can think…elevator, to the catacombs. Take me to the Seventh Door please.

_SFX: The elevator begins to whirr into motion. After a few moments, it stops, the doors sliding open with a whoosh. Malia’s footsteps sound again but now there’s an echo to them. Wherever she is, it’s entirely empty._

**Malia:** ( _to herself_ ) Now or never, I suppose… ( _louder and with more authority_ ) Activate.

**Voice Activation Program:** ( _computerised, very smooth and synthesized_ ) Identification and purpose?

**Malia:** Councillor Maliaveronandria of House Heartshaven, biometric data available on request. I require access to the Matrix.

**Voice Activation Program:** The Matrix is currently restricted. Those wishing to access the Matrix must be approved in person by the Lord President.

**Malia:** _(hums, frowning)_ I see…that’s bothersome. Enact Command-Level Override: Code Omega-5.

**Voice Activation Program:** Code denied. The Matrix is currently restricted. Those wishing to access the Matrix must be approved in person by the Lord President.

**Malia:** Changed the codes, eh? Omega-6?

**Voice Activation Program:** Code denied. The Matrix is currently restricted. Those wishing to access the Matrix must be approved in person by the Lord President.

**Malia:** ( _sighs_ ) This is going nowhere. Ugh, this is the last thing I wanted to have to do today…Command-Level Override: Code 231163.

**Voice Activation Program:** ( _the smooth and synthesised voice suddenly becomes more grating, and jarring_ ) Warning: Command-Level Override Code 231163 is designated for top-priority emergencies only. All relevant parties including the Castellan will be immediately notified of its use.

**Malia:** ( _mildly irritated_ ) I’m well aware of that. Confirm.

_SFX: There is a single, solitary ‘ping’._

**Voice Activation Program:** Emergency access code validated.

**Malia:** Thank you kindly.

_SFX: A large, grinding door begins to open. It does so slowly, before we hear Malia step through and it promptly closes again._

**Malia:** Now then, let’s see…

_SFX: All noise from the outside suddenly vanishes. The only sound is the occasional gust of air or electronic hum._

**Malia:** Establish Matrix connection.

**Voice Activation Program:** ( _beat_ ) Connection established. Welcome, Councillor Maliaveronandria.

**Malia:** ( _with great trepidation, as if afraid to look even at this stage_ ) Show me…show me all stored information on the Ultimate Sanction, please.

_SFX: A dim alarm system sounds._

**Voice Activation Program:** Warning: that information is connected directly to and secured by the bio-data of Lord President Rassilon, Councillor-

**Malia:** ( _cuts it off_ ) I understand. Show me.

_SFX: There are several simulated sounds to represent a number of windows opening._

**Voice Activation Program:** All information on the Ultimate Sanction is now displayed, Councillor Maliaveronandria.

_There is a long, long pause._

**Malia:** …By the Founders.

_She mutters to herself in a breathless whisper as she reads._

**Malia:** ( _evidently trembling_ ) That’s…that’s impossible. Total universal collapse. The files were last modified so recently, too. Rassilon…the Council. They’re going to enact it. _This_ is their plan?! I was right, I _knew_ this is what they were doing! ( _beat before she resumes speaking, sounding utterly defeated_ ) That’s it, then. We’re finished, and the Daleks didn’t even need to do it for us. …Gallifrey falls by its own hand.

** SCENE FOUR **

**_\- INT: Dalek Battleship, Over Gallifrey. The Final Day of the Last Great Time War._ **

****

_SFX: The airless, sterile environment of the Matrix is replaced by an entirely different sort of sterile environment, that of a Dalek battleship. Here, the sounds of furious battle are muted, only making their presence known through the occasional muffled thump against the battleship’s shields. The voices of the Daleks, however, are very present indeed, with the voice of the Supreme Dalek being noticeably deeper than the rest._

**Supreme Dalek:** **Daleks, report!**

**Dalek Officer 1:** The aerial attack on Time Lord city designate: Arcadia is progressing as expected!

**Supreme Dalek:** **What of the rest of the planet?**

**Dalek Officer 2:** The remainder of this world is under Dalek control!

**Dalek Officer 1:** When we finish this assault, only their last stronghold remains!

**Supreme Dalek:** **Good. I will inform Dalek High Command immediately. What of the attack on their capital?**

**Dalek Officer 2:** Their capital is well-defended, Supreme One!

**Dalek Officer 1:** Our fleet is launching barrages from orbit, but their shields are holding!

**Supreme Dalek:** **The ground forces?**

**Dalek Officer 1:** All deployed Daleks within fifteen thousand rels of the Time Lord citadel are approaching as we speak!

**Supreme Dalek:** **Excellent. Their soldiers have been crushed beneath us already, it is only a matter of time.** ( _the Dalek pauses for a moment_ ) **Has there been any further sighting of the Doctor?**

**Dalek Officer 2:** The Predator of the Daleks has not been witnessed since last contact!

**Supreme Dalek:** ( _with a distinct and impressive tone of smugness_ ) **As we thought. Even the mighty Doctor has fled before our onslaught! This is our ultimate victory.**

_SFX: There is a distinct sound of a loudspeaker activating. When the Supreme Dalek speaks next, its voice is accompanied by the echo that indicates it is communicating across the planet, utilising the battleship’s broadcast system._

**Supreme Dalek:** **Dalek forces! Continue your advance! _Scour_ all resistance from the world before you; they are nothing but vermin, scum before our might! Hear me now, cowering Time Lords of Gallifrey: the age of the Daleks is nigh! You have failed; failed in every regard! We are the Daleks! We are victorious! We are inevitable! This is no war, Time Lords! This is merely an _EXTERMINATION_!**

**Dalek Officers:** ( _echoing his battle cry_ ) _EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!_

_SFX: There is an echoed, dulled reply, clearly from all throughout the ship and outside. Hordes of Daleks screeching in unison._

**Daleks:** _EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!_

** SCENE FIVE  
**

**_\- EXT: The Streets of Arcadia, Gallifrey. The Final Day of the Last Great Time War._ **

****

_SFX: Once again we move from comparative silence to utter madness. If anything, the fighting in Arcadia has intensified somehow, with more fire and explosions ripping through the air as Daleks whoosh back and forth doing whatever they please, increasingly unopposed. It’s clear that the battle of Arcadia is coming to a close._

**Ferrain:** Hold up for a moment. Tyvas, do you have eyes on our destination?

**Tyvas:** As far as I can tell, the command centre’s still standing?

**Ferrain:** That’s a good sign at the least. Come on, quickly. I’ll take point with Tyvas bringing up the rear. Korvas, Stirlex, keep stasers trained on the skies.

**Soldiers:** ( _muttered_ ) Aye, sir.

_SFX: We hear scuffling over rubble, clambering and awkwardly moving, until we hear a door slide open._

**Ferrain:** Commander Ferrain, reporting in. How goes the day?

**Garovaan:** Commander, sir, lieutenant Garovaan! Things are…bad, sir, things are getting very bad. It’s good you’ve come…we’ve lost all of our other command. They headed up skyward to help with the situation up there, but the sky trenches are being relentlessly battered, last radio contact was hours ago. They’ve lost signal since.

**Ferrain:** Are they surviving?

**Garovaan:** …Barely, sir. I wouldn’t call it survival. They’re _managing_.

**Ferrain:** ( _mulls this over briefly_ ) That can be dealt with in its own time. What about down here, what’s happening?

**Garovaan:** Er, the Daleks haven’t managed to _entirely_ breach the inner rim of our current defences yet, though they’re certainly working on it.

**Ferrain:** Word from the Capitol?

**Garovaan:** They’re holding out much better than we are, but that’s no surprised. Before the last commander left he mentioned they’re becoming increasingly pressed, though. Rumours have it that the Time Lords are set to activate the Time Destroyers if things continue the way they are. If _they’re_ switched on, I imagine the Dalek ships will be thinned out fairly sharpish. I just hope it would be enough…

**Ferrain:** The Time Destroyers? ( _almost in reverence_ ) Those are chrono-weapons that haven’t been activated since the Dark Times and the purge of the Vampires…if they’re considering _those_ then things must be truly desperate.

**Garovaan:** They’re only rumours, commander…but they’re flitting along the ranks nonetheless.

**Ferrain:** Rumours and hearsay, they’ll be the death of us just as soon as the Daleks will. ( _pauses for a moment before speaking, hopefulness entering his voice despite himself_ ) Has there been any word of the Doctor?

**Garovaan:** The Doctor? ( _excitedly, bordering on disbelief_ ) Is he _here_? In Arcadia?!

**Ferrain:** ( _somewhat disappointed_ ) I’ll take that as a resounding ‘no’, then. ( _to himself, idly_ ) What could he be doing?

**Tyvas:** …You’ve met the Doctor, haven’t you, commander?

**Ferrain:** I wouldn’t call it a meeting. I’ve _seen_ him. Several years ago, and only very briefly.

**Korvas:** ( _awestruck_ )…What was it like?

**Ferrain:** Why do you want to know?

**Stirlex:** …Brings a good sense of hope, I think, doesn’t it?

**Ferrain:** ( _beat_ ) I suppose it does, to a degree. …I was one of the personnel stationed at Shada when the Daleks came for it.

_There is a pause._

**Korvas:** Rassilon preserve you, commander.

**Garovaan:** Was it as bad as the rumours say?

**Ferrain:** _(bluntly)_ Worse, if anything. There were so many battleships in the sky that they blocked out the stars…not quite so many as there are over Gallifrey now, of course, but close. Even the prisoners were terrified; there was so much noise, so much death. The air was more blaster fire than anything else, so thick you could have walked on it. I remember Krezack the Could-Have-Been King escaped in the chaos, and the Daleks utterly annihilated him _and_ his army in an instant. A torrent of fire and…and metallic screeching and he was gone, one of Gallifrey’s greatest nemeses dead in a heartbeat. The Daleks were making a show of force, I suppose, typical posturing…except they could always back it up. We were overrun, completely, and the Time Lords had ordered us to stay until the end…a touch bitterly familiar right now, it seems. The Daleks could not be allowed to seize Shada, they made that extremely clear.

**Tyvas:** ( _transfixed_ )…What then?

**Ferrain:** I was sending what was probably to be Shada’s final broadcast, a pack of encoded data containing the last moments of the prison, when he arrived. He didn’t even take so much as a second to get his bearings, the second his TARDIS landed he was off. Informed the Time Lords that the entire garrison was to be evacuated and made his best effort to do just that. Scattered Daleks left, right and centre…scared them off like they were nothing more than vermin. As soon as the garrison had escaped, or most of the remnants in any case, he detonated the vortex device at the centre of the Shada complex…the entire thing was torn to shreds and cut out of the universe. Three hundred and eighty million Daleks were obliterated in the blink of an eye, along with every prisoner in Shada. It was…horrific. Awe-inspiring…but horrific.

_There is a long pause._

**Garovaan:** …My word.

**Ferrain:** Did that have the effect you were going for?

**Stirlex:** …It rather did, sir. If someone like that is on our side, what can’t we do?

**Ferrain:** _(chuckles, a touch grimly)_ I’m glad I could help. And I certainly hope that he’s still on our side, because we could really use him here right now. You mentioned the sky trenches are in danger?

**Garovaan:** Yes, sir, and mostly lacking in command now as far as anyone can tell.

**Ferrain:** Right, I’m going up there, I’ll see what’s happening. Does this facility’s transmat still work?

**Garovaan:** ( _at first perplexed_ ) The transmat, sir? …Er, it does, sir, yes.

**Ferrain:** Good. Hold the fort for now.

_SFX: The transmat activates._

** SCENE SIX  
**

**_\- EXT: Sky Trench 381, Arcadia, Gallifrey. The Final Day of the Last Great Time War._ **

****

_SFX: Above Arcadia in the sky trenches, the sounds of battle are even louder. Exposed in the skies, Daleks fly past and strafe the ground with barrages of gunstick fire, opposed only by the trench defences and the very occasional Battle TARDIS. It’s evident from the imbalance in the sounds that the Daleks outnumber the Battle TARDISes to a **vast** extent._

**Dorvir:** ( _panicked_ ) Get those staser cannons back online, we need this trench up again, _immediately_!

**Dalek:** Exterminate! EXTERMINATE!

**Dorvir:** Down! Get down!

_SFX: There is a loud explosion nearby._

**Dorvir:** ( _furious_ ) _Another_ one gone! Damnation, we can’t keep losing our weaponry like this! Pharix, what’s the status on the shields?

**Pharix:** Almost entirely drained, Dorvir, it’ll take at least a minute to get them recharged, maybe more.

**Dorvir:** ( _he sighs_ ) Right. Right.

**Pharix:** Any ideas?

**Dorvir:** Not a one. I’m all out.

**Pharix:** So then…

**Dorvir:** So then we’re doomed. ( _grimly_ ) At the very least, we can make it a slow doom, and hopefully a painful one for the Daleks. That’s not too bad a wish, eh?

**Pharix:** ( _uncertainly_ ) …I can think of better ones.

_SFX: The transmat sounds again._

**Ferrain:** Ugh. ( _spits on the ground_ ) Blasted things, could never get used to them. You there, which sky trench is this?

**Dorvir:** ( _briefly taken aback_ ) Is that you, commander Ferrain, sir? I thought you were still down in the streets!

**Ferrain:** We relocated. Which sky trench is this, quickly?

**Pharix:** Sky Trench 381, sir.

**Ferrain:** I see. I understand things up here are taking something of a turn for the worse?

**Dorvir:** ( _laughs bitterly_ ) _That_ is a noted understatement, commander. Let me show you the tactical map… ( _another explosion sounds_ ) …while we can still access it.

_SFX: We hear tapping on a console, audible briefly amidst the cacophony of explosions, before the sound of a hologram of some sort blinking into existence sounds._

**Ferrain:** ( _momentarily taken aback_ ) …I had no idea things were _this_ bad.

**Dorvir:** Mm-hm. As you can see, we’re essentially losing a sky trench every few minutes at this rate. Strongest defences on all of Gallifrey save the Capitol itself and the Daleks are grinding them to a fine powder, and the defenders along with them. We can’t manage this level of attrition for much longer, sir. I estimate less than half of the remaining ones are at peak operational capacity, and half of those again are in any fit state to hold off an army of Daleks. ( _idly observing_ ) Trench 382 over there’s already lost its entire garrison, it’s down to the auto-targeting systems now and that’s it.

**Pharix:** And the auto-targeting systems are nothing to rely on; the sheer mass of targets in the sky and the Dalek countermeasures are playing haywire with them. A sky trench on auto-target is, right now, really only good to us as an extra thing for the Daleks to shoot at.

**Ferrain:** Understood. At least they’ll provide an unmanned target, that’s something.

**Dorvir:** A slim hope, don’t you think commander?

**Pharix:** _But_ a bright point nonetheless!

**Ferrain:** …I’m not sure which of you I agree with more. ( _he pauses before speaking again, startled_ ) Soldier?

**Dorvir:** Yes, sir?

**Ferrain:** … _What_ is that?

**Dorvir:** Sir?

**Ferrain:** That. The bunker over there. That’s no sky trench facility.

**Dorvir:** Ah. _That_. That’s a Battle TARDIS, it was shot down over us. Crashed into this trench, shut itself down into that form you see there, some sort of defensive feature I suppose. I’ve no idea how the things work of course, but we’ve no Time Lords handy to explain it to us.

**Ferrain:** A Battle TARDIS…functioning at all?

**Pharix:** We don’t have a clue. It looks to be in fairly good repair considering what happened to the thing…far better repair than this trench is in, anyway. TARDISes are tough stuff though, I reckon if it’s here and hasn’t gone critical already, it’s probably fine. ( _quickly_ ) In a manner of speaking.

**Ferrain:** Hm. ‘In a manner of speaking’ is better than ‘not at all’ by a long shot. Have that TARDIS transmatted down to the command centre below; the Time Lords need every craft they can get their hands on right now. A single Battle TARDIS in the right hands could turn this war around…

**Dorvir:** ( _to himself_ ) We should be so lucky…

**Pharix:** ( _more eagerly_ ) Right away, commander, transmatting now!

_SFX: The sound of the transmat rings out once again. Immediately, it is followed by the sound of several Dalek gunstick blasts, which are in turn followed by the distinctive reply of Gallifreyan staser weapons._

**Pharix:** Shields are raised once again, Dorvir!

**Dorvir:** ( _clearly growing weary of things_ ) Good, good. That’ll hold them for a little while longer, I suppose. Until they blast through them again, anyway.

_There is a long pause._

**Pharix:** Are you alright, commander?

**Ferrain:** Hm?

**Pharix:** You went blank for a moment there.

**Ferrain:** ( _distractedly_ ) …That sky.

**Dorvir:** ( _a long pause before he speaks_ ) It’s terrifying, isn’t it?

**Ferrain:** Gallifrey’s sky should never have been that colour. Bronze and gold…it’s horrific. The Dalek reinforcements are still coming in, then?

**Dorvir:** The Dalek reinforcements haven’t _stopped_ arriving, commander, they’re a steady stream of them constantly arriving.

**Pharix:** There’s no end to them.

_SFX: A distinctly loud sound nearby of multiple gunstick blasts indicates that the Daleks have done some telling damage._

**Daleks:** ( _multiple voices_ ) The fortification is breached! Destroy it! Destroy!

**Dorvir:** There goes trench 382, or the shields at least.

**Pharix:** The shields for _now_ , they’re swarming it.

**Dorvir:** ( _despairingly_ ) Another one gone, no surprise at this stage. At least it was empty, I suppose. Nobody else is going to die when that trench goes down.

**Ferrain:** Hmm…you mentioned that it was down to its auto-targeting systems, yes?

**Dorvir:** That it is. Why?

**Ferrain:** Just thinking aloud is all. Somebody quickly, patch me through to the communications network.

**Dorvir:** ( _confused_ ) For trench 382?

**Ferrain:** For every trench within its blast radius if it were to be destroyed.

**Dorvir:** …Er, right away sir, give me a moment.

**Ferrain:** Quick as you can!

**Dorvir:** Yes sir…you’re, ah, through, now. All ears are open for you.

**Ferrain:** Good. ( _he clears his throat_ ) Attention, all surviving sky trenches, this is Commander Ferrain of the Arcadia garrison, authorisation code Sigma-475. All trenches except for number 382, cease all fire immediately and activate all defensive protocols. Raise every layer of shielding you have, including over your weapons, divert all available power to maintaining your shields, and bunker down.

**Dorvir:** ( _very confused_ ) …Sir?

**Ferrain:** Do it _immediately_.

**Dorvir and Pharix:** _(in unison)_ Yes, sir.

**Ferrain:** Sky trench 382, do you copy?

**Sky Trench 382:** ( _smooth, synthesised computer voice_ ) Automatic defence system of sky trench designate-382 receiving.

**Ferrain:** Execute Code 382-Alpha.

**Sky Trench 382:** Warning: execution of Alpha code is an irreversible command. Confirm?

**Ferrain:** Confirm. Over and out.

**Sky Trench 382:** Executing Code 382-Alpha.

_SFX: We hear numerous layers of shielding being raised._

**Pharix:** All shields are up around us, sir, and we’ve set all weapons and auxiliary systems to standby. There’s enough power going into the shielding to keep it up under quite some pressure.

**Ferrain:** Good. That’s exactly what’s going to happen.

**Dorvir:** That’s a brave move, sir. A bold move, and, if I may be forgiven, perhaps an unwisely hasty one…

**Ferrain:** 382 was lost to us anyway. This’ll work.

_SFX: After only a moment of silence, we hear a number of loud explosions ringing out through the air, accompanied by some swiftly-silenced Dalek screeches. The resulting silence is almost deafening in contrast to the omnipresent sounds of battle that had come before._

**Ferrain:** ( _casually, after a moment_ ) That should buy us a few moments, I think.

**Dorvir:** Another trench done for. The net’s getting thinner, commander.

**Ferrain:** It was an unfortunate sacrifice, but it might just help us yet. Status report on this trench?

**Pharix:** No major damage from the explosion, everything seems alright. Relatively, anyway. The shields deflected the majority of the impact.

**Dorvir:** A third of our staser cannons are still offline, however.

**Pharix:** I’m trying to concentrate on the positives here, Dorvir!

**Dorvir:** ( _gloomily_ ) Apologies, friend, but I’m just being realistic. It’ll take quite a long time to get them repaired and rebooted, and that’s time we probably don’t have.

**Pharix:** So, what, a third of them are offline? Is that what you said?

**Dorvir:** It is.

**Pharix:** Then that’s two thirds online, isn’t it? ( _irritably_ ) The positives, Dorvir, the positives!

**Ferrain:** ( _calmingly_ ) Steady on.

( _simultaneously_ )

**Dorvir:** Sorry, commander.

**Pharix:** Apologies, sir.

**Ferrain:** Quite alright. Regardless of what may or may not be online, get as much as you can back up and running before the Daleks manage to swarm again. Patch me through to the other trenches again.

**Dorvir:** Sir. ( _there’s a slight pause_ ) Alright, you’re through.

**Ferrain:** Sky trenches, this is Commander Ferrain again. Resume normal operations. Over and out.

**Dorvir:** We’ll start re-routing power to our other systems, then.

**Ferrain:** Good, do that.

**Pharix:** What are you doing, sir?

**Ferrain:** I need to contact the General, they need updates on the situation. About your business, you two, you’re doing tremendously.

**Pharix:** ( _evidently proud_ ) …Yes sir!

**Dorvir:** ( _more dourly_ ) Yes, sir.

_SFX: We hear a series of quiet beeping tones before a voice cuts across them._

**The General:** ( _electronically distorted and clearly more than a little bit desperate_ ) Communications established. Who am I talking to?

**Ferrain:** ( _obviously_ _relieved_ ) General! ( _he coughs brusquely, attempting to keep himself under control_ ) This is Commander Ferrain of the Arcadia garrison, am I being received properly?

**The General:** Ferrain? ( _a touch relieved too_ ) Still alive down there, it’s good to hear that. How is the situation?

**Ferrain:** It’s…going from bad to worse, General.

**The General:** That doesn’t surprise me. We just lost another sky trench.

**Ferrain:** I know, sir, I’m contacting you from its neighbour. Sky trench 382’s garrison were wiped out to the last; the Daleks were swarming it. I had it detonate itself; it’s given us a few moments to breathe down here before they come back.

**The General:** ( _slowly_ ) …I see.

**Ferrain:** I’m sorry, General. I didn’t see any other option at the time, it seemed like a sacrifice we could afford-

**The General:** You’re an impulsive one, commander. That’ll cost you dearly one day. ( _evidently frustrated_ ) It didn’t occur to you that we might have managed to clear that trench of the enemy and repopulated it with a crew, no? Destroying a horde of Daleks is practically meaningless, there are _always_ more Daleks. Maintaining our defensive lines is what matters until we can begin our attack.

**Ferrain:** ( _pausing_ ) …My apologies, sir. Sincerely.

**The General:** No matter now, anyway. The defence continues, at least we have that. One fewer sky trench is hardly going to make a difference now.

**Ferrain:** …How are things in the Capitol?

**The General:** Not good, commander. I won’t lie to you; not good at all. The Daleks are pressing their attack with more ferocity than we’ve ever witnessed before; they’ve been bombarding it unceasingly for days now.

**Ferrain:** Can it hold?

_The General does not answer. Ferrain takes his silence for what it is._

**Ferrain:** What- er, what of the High Council, what are they planning? They must have something up their sleeves.

**Pharix:** ( _muttered quietly_ ) ‘Course they do, their sleeves are _massive_.

**Dorvir:** ( _snorts with quiet laughter_ )

**Ferrain:** ( _hissed_ ) Be quiet!

**The General:** I’m afraid I’m not currently privy to anything that the High Council may be plotting, and even if I was, commander, I likely couldn’t and wouldn’t tell you in any case.

**Ferrain:** Of course, General. I didn’t mean to overstep my bounds.

**The General:** ( _idly_ ) That’s hardly a problem, commander, impropriety is the least of our worries right now.

**Ferrain:** What are our further orders, sir?

**The General:** ( _sternly_ ) Your orders are unchanged, commander. Continue the defence of Arcadia with what remains of the garrison. You’re the last ranking commander in the field; Arcadia’s force falls to you.

**Ferrain:** ( _hesitantly_ ) …Yes, sir.

**The General:** Speak your mind, commander.

**Ferrain:** …There are quite a few Gallifreyan soldiers remaining here, sir. They’re young, very young, and they’re scared. Are we really to tell them that this fight is to the last?

**The General:** ( _evidently somewhat heavy-hearted_ ) That…is regrettable.

**Ferrain:** But?

**The General:** Your orders are unchanged. Fight to the end.

**Ferrain:** ( _unhappily_ ) …Yes, sir.

**The General:** Make the Daleks pay for every inch, commander.

**Ferrain:** As ever, sir. Over and out.

**The General:** Over and out.

_SFX: We hear crackling static as the connection terminates._

**Ferrain:** …Damn it all.

**Dorvir:** Commander?

**Pharix:** What are our orders?

**Ferrain:** No change. We’re to stay to the bitter end, one way or another.

**Dorvir:** …No surprise there, then. Understood.

**Ferrain:** Don’t lose hope just yet! We’re buying ourselves time, that could help us. Now, get the transmat up and running again, I’ve to get moving.

**Pharix:** Where are you off to, sir?

**Ferrain:** Back down to the streets, I need to get back to the command centre and check in on the rest of the defence situation. ( _thoughtfully_ ) Must see what the situation is with that Battle TARDIS as well. Keep things running up here, men, and keep the faith. The sun will rise over Gallifrey again, believe that.

**Pharix:** Yes, sir!

_SFX: The transmat activates again._

**Dorvir:** …Do you believe that?

**Pharix:** Hm?

**Dorvir:** Do you believe we’ll make it through the night?

**Pharix:** …I really _want_ to believe that!

**Dorvir:** ( _pauses_ ) Me too, Pharix. Me too.

** SCENE SEVEN  
**

**_\- INT: The Matrix, the Capitol, Gallifrey. The Final Day of the Last Great Time War._ **

****

_SFX: For almost the first time in the entire episode, things are silent. The only noise is a faint hum of machinery in the background and nothing else; not even the slightest movement until the first line of dialogue._

**Malia:** I suppose the High Council have probably already been alerted to my presence here… ( _she snorts with bitter laughter_ ) As if it matters now.

_SFX: A quiet beep answers her._

**Malia:** Oh, what do you know, you’re just a camera drone. Likely reporting on me right now, aren’t you? Sending a video feed right to the Castellan. ( _she_ _sighs_ ) He’ll be bursting through that door any minute with the Chancellery Guard, ready to drag me before the Council…probably have me executed to set an example.

_SFX: She sighs once again alongside another beep._

**Malia:** I just don’t know what to do. I have no idea. How can _anyone_ know what to do in response to a situation like…like _this_? The Ultimate Sanction…

_There is a lengthy moment of silence._

**Malia:** ( _resignedly_ ) I’m already a dead woman walking. Establish Matrix connection.

**Voice Activation Program:** ( _after a brief wait_ ) Welcome, Councillor Maliaveronandria.

**Malia:** Hmm. ( _curiously mumbling aside to herself_ ) They haven’t detected me yet, or else I’d be locked out of the system. ( _more loudly_ ) Can I get any update on how many Time Lords are left alive outside of the Capitol? Anything at all?

**Voice Activation Program:** No Time Lords register outside of the Capitol’s boundaries.

**Malia:** Not one?

**Voice Activation Program:** No Time Lords register outside of the Capitol’s boundaries.

**Malia:** …Hmm. Well, that could mean anything. Either they _are_ , in fact, all dead or they just can’t be detected…though that said, it would take an impressive feat to block the Matrix finding them. ( _she pauses, sounding uncertain_ ) I could…oh, no, that’s an absurd idea. Absolutely absurd. There’s no leaving the Capitol, and even if I _did_ , I’d be killed by the Daleks in an instant. There’s nothing to find out there either, at least not with any degree of certainty by any means. …But if I stay here, I’m dead as soon as the Council figure out what I’ve done. I’m a traitor either way in their eyes…damned if I do and damned if I don’t. ( _she sighs a long, angry sigh_ ) This bloody war.

_SFX: There is a distinct sound of footsteps nearby._

**Malia:** There we go. This is it. ( _rather drolly considering the situation_ ) Alright, go ahead, whoever you are, drag me before the Council and shame me. The end times are nigh for Gallifrey as it is, I don’t care.

**Mystery Presence:** ( _sharply_ ) Be quiet!

**Malia:** ( _taken aback_ ) …I beg your pardon?

**Mystery Presence:** ( _coolly; almost casually in fact_ ) Peace, Councillor, you’ll want to listen to what I have to say. First, your situation. The Chancellery Guard are on their way down here at this very moment. They don’t know exactly the specifics of what’s happened, not yet, but they _do_ know that there has been unauthorised access to the Matrix. I estimate you have slightly less than ten minutes before they discover you here, and even less before Rassilon discovers exactly _what_ you tried to access.

**Malia:** …So-

**Mystery Presence:** Hush for a moment, I need to speak. ( _with noted mirth in his voice despite the situation_ ) You were looking for information on the Ultimate Sanction?

**Malia:** I was, yes.

**Mystery Presence:** The full details of the Sanction are supposed to be known only by the Lord President and his very closest retainers; that’s incredibly-classified knowledge. You’re neither of those things. Why did you decide to go looking for it?

**Malia:** ( _stifly_ ) …I’ve heard enough about it to know that it doesn’t bode well for anyone or _anything_.

**Mystery Presence:** ( _questioningly_ ) It bodes well for _Gallifrey_ , does it not? Ascension to godhood, freedom from this endless hell we’ve been barely enduring for so long?

**Malia:** Pfft. _Godhood_ , _freedom._ I want those things as much as anyone does, stranger, believe me, but not like that. Freedom at the expense of all else is ultimately futile, and what does godhood matter if we rule over an empty universe? In any case, let’s be realistic about the situation; Rassilon’s plan means godhood for Rassilon alone if he can manage it in any way.

_There is a pause._

**Mystery Presence:** In that case, I believe I can be of assistance to you, Lady Malia.

**Malia:** _Assistance_? Assistance with what?

**Mystery Presence:** Whatever it is you’re plotting and planning, and I assure you that I’m an _expert_ at both, begins with you escaping this citadel. Am I wrong in saying that?

**Malia:** …I’m not certain, I won’t lie. I don’t know _what_ I’m planning but I know that I have to do _something_ , and there are more resources available to me outside of the Capitol than within it. Less wandering eyes and far fewer people to demand that I leave well enough alone.

**Mystery Presence:** Very correct. Those resources _do_ lie amidst the never-ending Dalek hordes, however.

**Malia:** ( _irritably_ ) One problem at a time. I’ll deal with that when it comes to it.

**Mystery Presence:** Provided that’s something you’re willing to attempt, then there may well be something you can find out there. Whether that _something_ lies in our hands or the possession of the Daleks is something that I can’t know, but either way, there are possibilities.

**Malia:** Possibilities?

**Mystery Presence:** A possibility to stop the High Council, perhaps. I can’t be certain, but you seem rather invested in the notion.

**Malia:** ( _thoughtfully_ ) …Well. I certainly don’t know that I could ever stop the Council, certainly not alone at any rate.

**Mystery Presence:** ( _chuckles quietly_ ) Then one of the resources you should look for is assistance, I think.

**Malia:** Not likely, unfortunately. The Matrix knows there are no Time Lords left outside our walls.

**Mystery Presence:** The Matrix _believes_ there are no Time Lords left outside our walls. In any case, you’re forgetting about the common Gallifreyans. Quite unusual for you to do that, given your care for them over this war.

**Malia:** …( _suspiciously_ ) You’ve been keeping track of me, then?

**Mystery Presence:** ( _simply_ ) I keep track of _everyone_ , Councillor.

**Malia:** Why?

**Mystery Presence:** Why wouldn’t I? People are useful, but only as useful as your knowledge of them.

**Malia:** I see…I suppose. Well, my mystery assistant if that’s what you are, you clearly know a great deal more about me than I do of you. Who are you? You haven’t even shown yourself to me yet.

**Mystery Presence:** That’s entirely irrelevant at the moment. I am merely another planner of plans in this great web we seem to have woven, and I suppose at the moment I am something of a guide to you.

**Malia:** A guide? How so?

**“The Guide”:** I’m going to tell you how to escape the Capitol. The rest is in your hands after that, I’m afraid, I have my own schemes to work on and they’re growing almost impossible to manage in this late hour for Gallifrey.

**Malia:** …Can I ask a question?

**The Guide:** You can certainly _ask_ it.

**Malia:** There are so few who would cross Rassilon’s wishes, and those of the Council-

**The Guide:** ( _offhandedly_ ) The Council’s wishes _are_ those of Rassilon now, Lady Malia, let’s be direct about the issue.

**Malia:** Right. Of course. In any case, as I was saying: there’s no room for renegades on Gallifrey at this moment. Why are you helping me? What do you have to gain from this?

**The Guide:** I have quite a lot of investment in this universe, Councillor. It’s where I keep most of my things, including myself. ( _the smirk is audible in his voice_ ) Very few of the High Council believe personally in using the Sanction, but they’re terrified, both of Rassilon and the Daleks. And why wouldn’t they be? Things are truly at their breaking point. You’ve stumbled into a situation wherein you may be able to affect things far more than them.

**Malia:** I haven’t _stumbled_ into it. ( _mildly offended_ ) I don’t believe that I can affect things entirely, not by myself, but I don’t believe in sitting around and allowing them to play out around me. Not in times like this.

**The Guide:** Then you’re a rare Time Lord indeed.

**Malia:** ( _flatly_ ) I don’t believe so.

**The Guide:** ( _chuckles_ ) Be that as it may, we’ve wasted enough time already. You need to get out of the Capitol, and you need to begin leaving now.

**Malia:** That won’t be easy, not at all. The Capitol’s locked-up tight.

**The Guide:** Indeed it is, almost every way in and out is sealed off entirely.

**Malia:** _Almost_?

**The Guide:** The Catacombs Below remain open. Guarded by security drones, of course, and in no small numbers, but there are still some ways to enter there.

**Malia:** ( _after a pause_ ) The Catacombs Below…that’s an extremely dangerous path.

**The Guide:** _Every_ path is dangerous at the moment, Councillor Malia.

**Malia:** Even still, the Catacombs? They haven’t been used in _centuries_ -

**The Guide:** ( _somewhat whimsically_ ) Well, they haven’t been used by anyone _you_ know about, but it seems a little presumptuous to assume that’s all there is to it. I myself occasionally utilise them. Excellent way of moving around without drawing attention to oneself, which seems rather like something that’s right up your street, so to speak.

**Malia:** …You use the Catacombs?

**The Guide:** I do indeed.

**Malia:** So you know a path through them, then?

**The Guide:** I know several. “Through them” is something of an inaccurate term, however, as it largely depends on where it is you want to end up.

**Malia:** ( _getting frustrated_ ) Anywhere that’s not the Capitol would be ideal.

**The Guide:** Hm. Come here, little camera drone…there we go.

_SFX: There is a sudden spark of electricity, followed by several more which are in turn followed by a series of quick beeps._

**Malia:** What are you doing?

**The Guide:** Merely reprogramming the camera drone. It’ll take you along the right path.

**Malia:** …I see.

**The Guide:** You don’t sound pleased?

**Malia:** I was under the impression that _you_ would be making the trip as well. Rather untrustworthy, I think, sending a mere drone along in your stead. How can I trust that you aren’t simply planning to eliminate me from proceedings after all?

**The Guide:** You simply can’t, I suppose. You’ll just have to.

**Malia:** ( _more concernedly; almost accusatory_ ) You’ve been quite upfront about being against the Council’s plot. Why not do more to stop it?

**The Guide:** Do _more_? Because I’m staying here in the Capitol, you assume I’m not doing all I can? I assure you, Lady Malia, with all due respect to you, I’m doing things you can’t even _begin_ to imagine, plot heaped upon plot…but I work best within our walls. In any case, they’d notice if I vanished and that would do no good, I’m already running quite a risk just by being here.

**Malia:** ( _disbelievingly_ ) I feel that if that were true, I would know who you are.

**The Guide:** You almost certainly do, but I’ll not reveal it yet.

**Malia:** Why?

**The Guide:** Imagine if you were captured and gave up my identity? No, no, I think not. That wouldn’t do at all. You may find out at some point down the line…assuming you survive leaving the Capitol, of course.

**Malia:** ( _irritated_ ) The _glee_ in your voice is something you might want to work on, whoever you are.

**The Guide:** I assure you I am nothing but mournful. These are dark times, after all.

_Malia grumbles to herself._

**The Guide:** You had best be on your way, Lady Malia. The Chancellery Guard will be here any moment.

**Malia:** …I really have no choice but to trust you then, do I?

**The Guide:** Of course you have a choice.

**Malia:** ( _intrigued_ ) Oh?

**The Guide:** You can trust me and escape this damned place, or you can sit here and wait to be captured. It’s entirely your prerogative.

**Malia:** ( _put-out_ ) Oh.

**The Guide:** Run along, Lady Malia. It’s a hopeless and dreadful journey, but perhaps a golden chance at Gallifrey’s salvation lies at the end of it. Don’t let it down.

**Malia:** How are you going to get out of here, then?

**The Guide:** ( _chuckles dryly_ ) Oh, please. Worry about yourself. You’re the one heading directly into enemy territory, after all. Run along, Lady Malia. Don’t stop until you find what you seek, assuming that you do.

_SFX: We hear his footsteps moving away._

**Malia:** …Hmm.

_SFX: The camera drone beeps._

**Malia:** Yes, yes. Come along, little drone. I suppose there’s nothing else for it.

_We hear her leaving, the camera drone flitting along in her wake._

** SCENE EIGHT  
**

**_\- INT: The Capitol, Gallifrey. The Final Day of the Last Great Time War._ **

****

_SFX: The sound of voices, humming and muttering worriedly, fills the air. There’s a definite sense of unease to proceedings, more so than the opening of the episode would have indicated. The air has a slight echo to it, indicating that we are once again in the Council Chambers. After a few moments, we hear footsteps enter the room and then there is silence._

**Rassilon:** ( _with an air of finality_ ) It is decided.

**Time Lord 1:** What is the decision of the High Council, my lord?

**Rassilon:** Time Lords of Gallifrey, as of this moment, our situation has passed its final tipping point. Arcadia’s fall will happen sooner than we suspected. Even now, the Gallifreyan soldiery are down to their last droves, and within hours they will likely be wiped out. The Daleks will have a free path to the Capitol, and our defences will not hold. We are outnumbered. We are outgunned. Loath as I am to admit it, we are outmatched on the battlefield by Skaro’s damnable spawn.

**Time Lord 2:** ( _nervously_ ) So…so what is the plan?

**Rassilon:** ( _inhales a deep breath_ ) As of this moment I make my decree. We will begin the necessary stages to enact the Ultimate Sanction.

_There are a few nervous whispers among the crowd, but nobody speaks up. Nobody dares._

**Rassilon:** The Visionary has completed her prophecy and has revealed our course to us. We have all the information we need. At this moment we are working on dispatching an agent into Gallifrey’s own past, one who will tamper ever so briefly with the Untempered Schism itself.

**Time Lord 3:** ( _shocked_ ) The Schism? Are you…certain, Lord President?

**Rassilon:** ( _angrily_ ) I don’t doubt the Visionary, and nor should any of you! ( _more calmly_ ) We can use it at a choice moment, use it to implant a subtle signal into the mind of one specific young Time Lord.

**Time Lord 1:** A signal, my lord? ( _perplexed_ ) What signal?

**Rassilon:** ( _a touch too dramatically_ ) Listen to the tone of our salvation.

_SFX: We hear the signal. Four drum beats, repeating endlessly._

**Rassilon:** All will make sense in due time.

**Time Lord 2:** You mention… “implanting” this signal, Lord Rassilon? Into whom?

**Rassilon:** The Master. Let one of our most wayward scions be the instrument of Gallifrey’s freedom.

_There is more nervous muttering._

**Time Lord 1:** The Master, Lord President? Interfering with such an early point of a timeline so established…that’s an incredibly dangerous action.

**Rassilon:** ( _bitterly_ ) Any action is fraught with danger at this stage, it matters not. We teeter on the abyss between life and death. It must be done. We will establish a signal within the Master’s mind…

_SFX: An alarm sounds, loud and quite menacing in tone._

**Time Lord 3:** What is that?

**Time Lord 2:** An alert! What’s happening?

**Rassilon:** Someone has intruded upon the Matrix. ( _realising_ )…Attempted to breach classified data. ( _progressively more furious_ ) Somebody has accessed the Matrix, accessed the data on the Sanction! _(roaring)_ _Who dares?!_ Who is this interloper?!

**Malia:** _(voice recording; the same one from earlier in the episode)_ Councillor Maliaveronandria of House Heartshaven, biometric data available on request. I require access to the Matrix.

**Rassilon:** Councillor Malia! Her absence from proceedings _was_ intriguing. Where is she?!

_SFX: We hear a hologram activate._

**Rassilon:** ( _enraged_ ) She attempts to _flee_?

**Time Lord 1:** Why would she possibly do that?

**Time Lord 2:** There’s nothing outside but Daleks!

**Rassilon:** This is an act of _treachery!_ She has betrayed us! Accessing that data is a capital offence, but now she flees the citadel?! If the Daleks manage to extract that data from her, we are lost! Gallifrey is lost! The Time Lords will be as dust on the winds of history, forgotten and meaningless! ( _loudly and authoritatively, and progressively louder_ ) Send for the Castellan, dispatch all forces we can spare to find the traitor! Have her killed before she leaves the Capitol! ( _evidently quite mad_ ) The Ultimate Sanction will not be stopped, _I_ will not be stopped! Not by one Time Lord, not by the Daleks, not by **_anyone_**! Gallifrey _will_ rise!

**[END CREDITS]**


End file.
